When Dreams Come True
by iloveromance
Summary: An expansion of a chapter in "Dreams of A Goddess", Niles makes a startling revelation when he realizes that he's in love with Mel and he is certain that she's the one he was meant to be with. But an unexpected phone call reveals that his heart lies elsewhere. An very early birthday present for Kristen3!
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: This is an expanded story based on Chapter 2 of "Dreams of a Goddess", in which Niles has several dreams about Daphne. It's not necessary to read that story in order to understand this one, as I have rewritten it here, but as always, comments are appreciated on all of my stories!_**

It was mid-morning when Niles arrived at Café Nervosa, eager for his usual half-caf non-fat latte with the faintest hint of cinnamon. He certainly needed it after last night. The thought made him grin mischievously as he remembered the events of the previous evening.

Mel Karnofksy was the best thing that ever happened to him. Since his divorce from Maris, he was certain that he'd never find happiness again. And now that fate had proven him wrong, he wanted to hold onto that happiness for as long as he could.

As they left Frasier's party the evening before, he relished the fact that he had been able to show off the new woman in his life. He was proud of Mel. She was sophisticated, successful, beautiful, but most importantly, she loved him (or so he hoped). He wasn't sure if what he felt for her was love but it came close. The way his heart fluttered when he looked at her, felt her hand in his, her lips against his… he shivered at the memory that was quickly replaced by another kind of memory. One that wasn't so pleasant.

"That was quite a party, wasn't it?" He'd asked casually as they drove toward her home after leaving Frasier's party.

"You certainly were having a good time, Niles." Mel said, indicating that she wasn't happy. He shouldn't have been surprised, for she rarely enjoyed spending time with his family or his friends, preferring instead to spend time alone. It bothered him quite a bit, but as usual, he kept his opinions to himself. He took her hand and smiled.

"I'm sorry if we made you feel left out, Mel. It was just so-."

"Enlightening?" She finished, raising her brow.

"Well, yes, come to think of it." He said.

"Niles, I can't believe you didn't even bother introducing me to Mr. And Mrs. Samuels! What were you thinking?"

He swallowed hard, suddenly remembering how thrilled he'd been when he was approached by John and Deanna Samuels, two high-profile winemakers from the acclaimed Ross Winery in eastern Washington. He'd immediately struck up a conversation with the couple, eager to share his thoughts on their latest creation, a light chardonnay that was without a doubt the most heavenly liquid he'd ever tasted.

But now he realized his grave mistake, for Mel had been standing beside him the entire time and he'd not once bothered to acknowledge her presence to anyone. He cared about her deeply and wanted nothing more than to make amends. He didn't want to lose her. He couldn't. He'd already lost two women that he'd loved; one whom he'd pledged his love and fidelity to, only to have it thrown in his face. And the other…

He sighed deeply, thinking of Daphne, the woman that he knew he could not have, even though he had loved her for so many years. If only things had been different.

And so he turned to Mel and took her hand. "Darling, I'm so sorry, can you forgive me? I was insensitive and hurtful, but please know that my actions weren't deliberate."

To his relief she smiled. "All right, but as you know I'm not that quick to forgive. It will take some time to… get over this, Niles. I was deeply hurt that you shunned me."  
He should have known this wouldn't be easy. But as he'd learned in the beginning of their relationship, there was always a way to make amends. And that night, he was certain that she had forgiven him, for he felt it in every touch and heard it in every sigh.

He woke that morning and reached for her hand, but his fingertips landed on a piece of paper, a note claiming that she'd gotten a call from the hospital and had to leave. But she promised to make it up to him. He chuckled, blushing as he reminisced about their blissful union when he'd gained her forgiveness. And what a wonderful night it was. He only hoped he would be able to return the favor soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Now as he walked into Café Nervosa, he knew he looked less than presentable. His hair was disheveled and his clothes were mismatched. Who ever heard of wearing a Burnt Sienna tie with a slate grey suit? To be honest, he hated the color of Burt Sienna, but at Mel's insistence he had purchased the tie, only to make her happy

. It seemed that lately he was always doing things to please her, while things he enjoyed fell by the wayside. But meeting Frasier at Café Nervosa wasn't one of them. He couldn't stop smiling as he sat down beside his brother and ordered his usual drink.

"Niles!" Frasier exclaimed. "Well this is certainly a surprise. I wasn't expecting to see you until later this afternoon."  
"Well, one of my patients canceled on me, so… here I am!" Niles replied a bit too cheerfully.

"Niles, I wasn't born yesterday!" Frasier snapped. "I can tell when you're lying!"  
Feeling warmth under his nose, Niles quickly retrieved his handkerchief from his pocket and held it to his face.

"Good lord, not the infamous nosebleed!" Frasier groaned. "Your nose is perfectly fine but your face is a complete giveaway! You have _liar _written all over you!" To emphasize the word _liar_ he drew an imaginary rainbow in the air.

When Niles didn't answer, Frasier sighed. "Judging by how exhausted you look, I can only guess that you spent another tiring night with Mel. And what is your explanation for that hideous outfit?"

Niles grinned at the mention of Mel's name and self-consciously touched the atrociously colored silk tie. "It was a gift…"

Frasier's eyebrows rose. "Oh Niles… it's really getting serious between you two, isn't it?"

"I think so, Frasier." Niles said, unable to stop grinning.

"Well, I'm happy for you, Niles. Even though I'm not fond of Mel, I hope she will make you very happy."

Niles was touched by his brother's sentiment. "Thank you, Frasier. I appreciate that. And you're right. Mel does make me happy. In fact I'd be so bold as to say that we're soul mates."

Frasier smiled in amusement. "So, care to share the details of what happened after the two of you left the party? I noticed that you wasted no time at all in rushing out the door."

Niles sniffled waiting for the nosebleed that would surely follow what he was about to say. "Nothing happened, really. I took her home and that was that."

"I trust that you enjoyed the party last night? If I might be so bold, it appears to have been a smashing success."

"Absolutely!" Niles said. "In fact, I think that it was the best one you've ever thrown. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and meeting the Samuels was the most exciting experience of my life!"

"Well, I'm glad, Niles. I know how much you enjoy their craft. What did Mel think of the party?"

Niles nearly choked on his drink. He wanted so much to tell Frasier what Mel had said about his party. After all, he wanted to be honest with his older brother. But that type of honesty would only cause more friction between Frasier and the woman he had become so fond of. He was well aware that Frasier didn't like Mel at all, insisting that she was too much like Maris. But that's where his older brother was wrong. Why, the thought was preposterous!

Niles, are you listening to me?" Frasier demanded.

"What? Of course I am." Niles lied. "And as for Mel's opinion of the party, she really didn't say. She was too preoccupied in our discussion about the Samuels."  
it wasn't exactly truthful, but it certainly wasn't a lie either.

"Very well. I should have known. You know Niles, it's perfectly normal to pick the first woman who reminds you of Maris. After all you were married for twelve years! That's a long time, especially in this day and age. I mean, Lilith and I didn't even make it past five years but still, we-."

_Niles phone rang an odd ring tone that even he wasn't familiar with. But there was no mistaking that the call was for him._

_"Niles Crane." He said into the phone._

"_Dr. Crane, thank God!" _

_His breath caught in his throat at the unmistakable voice that was tinged with panic. _

"_Daphne?"  
_

_She sniffled and he could hear her crying softly.  
_

_"Daphne, what is it?" _

"_I'm so sorry for botherin' you like this on your personal cell phone, Dr. Crane but I didn't know who else to call! I tried calling your brother, but-."  
_

_"Frasier? He's right-."  
_

_She began to sob, causing him alarm." Dr. Crane, I need you! Please!"_


	3. Chapter 3

_His heart was racing so fast that he could hardly breathe. "Daphne, what's wrong?"  
_

_"I-I can't really say over the phone, but … I need you! Please hurry!" _

_Without another word, Niles sprang from his chair flinching as it fell to the floor. But he made no attempt to pick it up. As fast as possible, he ran out of Café Nervosa in search of the woman he loved. When he couldn't find her, he began to panic, the fear settling in his chest. _

_He ran down the street, breathless after running only a few blocks. But he wasn't about to give up. And then, miraculously, he saw her. She was huddled in a dark corner against a building, shivering and crying in the freezing cold. _

"_Daphne!" He yelled. As fast as he could, he ran to her and gathered her into his arms, alarmed at how badly she was shaking. "It's okay, I'm here for you. You're all right now."  
_

_"Oh Dr. Crane!" she cried, sobbing into his chest. And there was nothing he could do but hold her close and rub her back.  
_

_"Daphne, what happened? Why are you out here in the cold like this?"  
_

_But instead of answering, she continued to sob._

"_Daphne please… I can't stand to see you this way. Please don't cry. I'm here and I won't let anything happen to you."  
_

_"Dr. Crane, can you do me a favor?"  
_

_He couldn't help but smile as his heart swelled with love for her. "Anything Daphne, just name it. Anything at all and I'll do it." His heart was breaking at the pain in her eyes and the fear that was so evident. He couldn't even imagine what she'd been through. _

"_Just hold me, Dr. Crane… please!"_

"With pleasure, Daphne. I'll hold you for as long as you like." '

"_Oh… thank you, Dr. Crane." _

_She clung to him as though he would vanish into thin air if he let go, and he held her even closer than before. But around him he could feel the temperature dropping rapidly. _

"_Daphne, it's frigidly cold out here. Let's go back to Café Nervosa and I'll buy you something to keep you warm."  
She smiled and kissed his cheek, her soft lips like ice against his skin. "You're very kind, Dr. Crane." _

_He lifted her into his arms and as he carried her through the streets, she was light as a feather. He relished the softness and scent of her hair as it brushed against his cheek. And minutes later, ignoring the stares of the Café Nervosa patrons through the front window, he gently sat her down and then ushered her inside.  
_

_"Okay, here we are. Just have a seat and rest."  
_

_But instead of doing as he asked, she stopped and stared at him.  
_

_"Daphne, is something wrong?" He asked, afraid that she might break down once more._

"_No… I… I just wanted to say something."  
_

_"Of course. What's on your mind?"  
_

_She hugged him tightly, resting her cheek against his. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. Thank you so much. You're the kindest, sweetest, most handsome man I've ever known."  
_

_His mouth fell open in disbelief, but he was barely able to respond when he felt her lips on his, kissing him like no other woman ever had. The passionate kisses surpassing every fantasy he'd ever had about kissing her in tenfold. _

_When the kiss ended, he stared into her beautiful eyes in complete and utter shock. His trembling fingertips touched his mouth, which burned from the feel of her lips on his.  
_

_"Wh-why did you kiss me?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer. _

_She smiled through the tears that filled her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. "Because I love you… Niles." _

_He sank down into the nearest chair, unable to believe what he was hearing. He'd waited so long… since the first moment he saw her and now…._


	4. Chapter 4

"NILES!"

Startled, Niles looked up to find Frasier glaring at him. "Have you even heard a word I said?"

"What? I-."

"Just as I thought! You were off in your own little world, weren't you?"

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking about… a patient of mine."

Frasier's eyes narrowed. "Really? And what _patient_ would that be, Niles?"

"You know my position on patient confidentiality, Frasier, so I refuse to answer your question." Niles replied.

"Honestly, Niles, if anyone knows about patient confidentiality, it is I. But I told you about Mr. Rochester and his seven personalities, did I not?"

"You did, Frasier. How's he doing?" Niles, asked wishing so badly that he could leave. Anything would be better than playing twenty questions with his brother.

"Well, it depends on which of his personalities you ask!" Frasier replied, laughing hysterically at his own joke. But Niles was not amused.

"That's very clever, Frasier."

"Now, tell me about this patient who seemed to have consumed your thoughts."

Defeated, Niles sighed. "All right, you win. This goes against my ethics, but since you're my brother, and I trust you, I'll tell you. But remember this is in the-."

"Strictest confidence, I know." Frasier finished. "Now who is it?"

"H-her name is Daphina Moon-shire."

Frasier crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Really, Niles…"

"Um, yes. Well you see… she's quite upset. She… suspects that her boss's brother is in love with her and-."

"Oh for God's sake, Niles! You and I both know that you've been thinking about Daphne!"

Niles sniffled, clutching his handkerchief in his fist. "What makes you say that?"

"Do you really want me to answer that, Niles? Good lord, I was hoping that once Daphne and Donny became a couple, you'd forget about this ridiculous crush!"

"Look, I told you before, Frasier. Mel and I are very happy together, so you don't have to worry about a thing! Daphne is in the past and I've accepted that she's with Donny now. And truth be told, I'm happy for her and I'm glad to have played a part in her happiness. I love Mel and she is my future." His voice was dangerously close to breaking but he couldn't let Frasier see his weakness. But to his surprise, Frasier smiled and touched his arm.

"I'm happy for you, Niles. I really am. And I meant what I said before. I hope that Mel makes you happy. You deserve it."

Niles nodded. "Thank you, Frasier. That means a lot to me. And I am happy. In fact, things are going so well that I just might be taking a very bold step to preserve that happiness."

Frasier gasped. "Niles, really? Is it that serious?"

Niles couldn't help but grin. "I think so. In mere months Mel Karnofksy could very well become the next Mrs. Niles Crane. And this time I'm determined to make it work. No more failed marriages for me!"

"Oh Niles, you did everything you could to please Maris; more than you should have if you ask me. But I will not listen to you beat yourself up over this again! The end of your marriage is not your fault!"

"Thank you." Niles said, once again touched by his brother's words.

"Well, on that note, I should be going. It was good seeing you, Niles." Frasier said, extending his hand.

"You too, Frasier. I think I'll just sit here for a while and order another drink."

"All right, Niles. Well, it was good seeing you. Goodbye."

Niles watched his brother walk to the door with pride. But Frasier had no sooner stepped onto the sidewalk when Niles called his name.

"Yes, Niles?"

Niles crossed the short length of Café Nervosa and embraced the man who meant so much to him. "You're the best brother I could ever ask for." He could feel Frasier's breath catch in his throat at the unexpected compliment as Frasier held him a little closer.

"Thank you, Niles. I feel the same way about you. And I wish you every happiness in the world. I hope all of your dreams come true."


	5. Chapter 5

The two men parted and Niles was alone in the café. He went to the counter and ordered another drink from Taylor, the friendly barista who always seemed to have a smile on her face. And as he sat down at his favorite table, he felt warmth in his chest as his words to Frasier resounding in his head.

"_In mere months, Mel Karnofksy could very well become the next Mrs. Niles Crane." _

And then there came a startling revelation. There was no doubt about it. He was in love. What other reason could there be for feeling this way?

His heart skipped a beat. Could he really do this? Get married again? The idea terrified him but it also filled him with hope. Mel was difficult, there was no refuting that, but people could change. He certainly had.

He reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone. His mind raced with scenarios of how he could tell her the news. She was not one for romance, but it wouldn't hurt to make it special. However, he had to do this carefully and act as casually as possible. With an unsteady hand, he poised his fingers over his phone ready to call the woman he loved. But to his surprise the phone rang.

"Niles Crane." he said into the phone. Most likely it was a colleague with another request to take on one of their patients. In the past he would have been grateful for the extra patient load, for it kept him from thinking about how lonely he was. But now that he and Mel were a couple and perhaps even on their way to becoming husband and wife, he wanted to spend as much time with her as possible, even when it seemed that she had very little time for him.

_"Oh, thank God you're there!"_

He was so stunned that he almost dropped the phone and was suddenly aware of the faint sound of crying. But it wasn't possible… it couldn't be… He swallowed hard and forced himself to speak.

"Daphne?"


	6. Chapter 6

Her soft crying became a bit more pronounced and she could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

"D-Daphne, what's wrong?"

_"I-I'm so sorry to bother you, Dr. Crane. But I didn't know who else to call!" I tried your brother, but-."_

"Frasier? Well, he's right-." Niles looked at the empty seat next to him, suddenly remembering that Frasier had left Café Nervosa quite some time ago. And it was then that Daphne began to sob.

_"Dr. Crane, I need you, please! I don't know what to do! I-."_

"I-I'll be right there, Daphne!"

_"Please hurry!"_

He wasted no time rushing out of the café, unsure of whether or not that what he'd just experienced was real. It was too coincidental. Yet, the urge to go to her was so strong that he forgot all about Mel and the fact that he was about to make a bold step and propose to her.

Once outside the café, he had no idea where he was headed, so he turned left and ran through the streets until he came to the corner of Pike and Bell. And that's where he found her in the darkness, leaning against the tall brick building, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Dear God! Daphne!"

He rushed toward her and as soon as he touched her, she fell into his arms, sobbing. "Oh, Dr. Crane, hold me!"

Obligingly, he held her as close as possible, unable to believe that this moment was real. "Daphne, what happened?"

She shivered beneath his touch and he was suddenly aware of how cold it was… like before…

Immediately he took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders, appalled that she would even dream of being in the cold without a jacket. But perhaps she didn't have a choice.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane. I appreciate this so much! I-." Her voice trailed away, replaced by sobs that racked her body once more. He continued to hold her, wondering if her tears would ever subside. And when a chilly wind blew past them, he wrapped his arm around her.

"Come on. I'll get you something warm to drink."

She smiled and kissed his cheek, her lips like ice against his skin as she wearily slumped against him.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane."

In a daze he walked to the counter and smiled at Taylor.

"Hey, Dr. Crane! You're back!"

"Um, yes I am." He said, turning his head to see Daphne sitting at the table, blotting her eyes with a napkin. The sight broke his heart. Dear God, what could have happened to her?


	7. Chapter 7

"Dr. Crane, are you all right?"

Surprised, he returned his attention to Taylor. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I was asking what I could get you."

"Oh, right. A large cup of cinnamon tea for Daphne and I'll have my usual."

"Right away, Dr. Crane." Taylor replied. She quickly made his drink and then handed them to Niles. "Here you are."

"Thank you, Taylor."

"Dr. Crane? Is Daphne all right? She looks so upset."

He sighed deeply. "I know. I mean, I wish I knew what happened."

"Is that why she rushed out of here?"

"Well, I …"

"I hope she feels better."

He smiled warmly. "Thank you Taylor. That's very kind of you. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to bring this to Daphne."

"Oh, how's your girlfriend?"

"My-my what?"

"The woman with the short dark hair that I've seen you with. I know that it's none of my business but I couldn't help noticing how much happier you seem these days."

"Thank you, Taylor. And Mel is fine. I am very happy with her. I'll tell her you asked about her."

With a sigh he carried the piping hot drinks to the table and sat down beside Daphne. "Here you are, Daphne. You prefer cinnamon tea, right?"

She looked up and smiled through her tears. "I do. You're always so kind, Dr. Crane. You always know what I need, unlike-."

When she began to sob, he put his drink down and moved closer to her, his hand on her back. "Daphne, what happened?" He asked quietly. "Please tell me. I'm here for you."

"It's Donny." She sobbed, smiling only for a second when he handed her his handkerchief.

He said nothing, and instead waited for her to continue when she was ready.

"We-we had a fight. But it was my fault! I just couldn't stand our dates always being interrupted by his damn cell phone! It's like he loves his job more than he loves me!"

"Daphne, that's…"

"But I shouldn't have said anything, Dr. Crane! I should have kept me mouth shut! But no… stupid me had to say something in the middle of our dinner! I would have known that when he said _Daphne, I need to ask you something_ that it wasn't at all what I'd hoped he would ask! H-he wanted to know how long it would take to drive from Seattle to Minnesota! Who bloody cares about Minnesota?"

Niles blinked in surprise. "Well, that's strange. What does Minnesota have to do with anything?"

"Because he was working on a bloody case! In the middle of our romantic dinner!" she cried. "And when we got into the car to go home I was so angry that I lashed out at him!"

"But Daphne, you were hurt and angry. It's perfectly normal to-."

"He was furious with me, Dr. Crane! He… I've never seen him so angry!"

Niles put his hand on her trembling shoulders, unable to stop himself from reaching out and touching her cheek. "Did he hurt you?"

To his relief, she shook her head. "Not physically, but… I feel so bloody stupid! Why did I think that he was going to ask me to-."

"What, Daphne? What did you want him to ask you?"

"I-I thought he was going to ask me to marry him! I feel so stupid!"

"Daphne, you're not stupid." He said quietly. "Far from it. Please don't ever think that. You're wonderful. You're kind, beautiful, and the most generous person I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. And if Donny can't see that, then he has no idea what he's lost and… wait… is that why you were standing outside in the cold?"

"Yes." She said the word so soft he had to strain to hear it. "He… he threw me out of his car and I didn't know what to do! I-."

"Dear God, no wonder you were so scared. The nerve of him! Why, I'm going to go over to his office and give him a piece of my mind!"

But she put her hand on his forearm. "Dr. Crane, don't… please. It will only cause trouble. I don't want you to get hurt. There's no telling what Donny is capable of!"

He took her into his arms once more, content to hold her for as long as she wanted. And it turned out that she needed to be held for a long while. But they couldn't stay there forever, much to his dismay.

"Daphne let me take you home. You've been through a terrible ordeal and I'm so sorry I introduced you to Donny. I can't believe that I-."

Her fingertips touched his lips, making him shiver at the contact.

"Hush. It's not your fault. It's mine. But I'll be all right. I just… need some time."

"Of course you do. Now come on."


	8. Chapter 8

She grasped his hand in hers from the moment they left Café Nervosa until they reached the Elliot Bay Towers. And she was still holding his hand when they arrived at Frasier's front door.

"Well, here we are." Niles said nervously. To his surprise and utter delight, Daphne smiled and hugged him. "I can't thank you enough for this."

"Daphne, there's no need to thank me. I was glad to-."

"Niles! I didn't expect to see you so soon! I thought you'd be with Mel!" Frasier exclaimed, startling them apart as he opened the door.

Niles and Daphne exchanged awkward glances. "Well, Frasier I was planning on meeting Mel later, but… um… Daphne needed a ride home, so…"

Frasier looked at Daphne in surprise. "Home? But I thought that you were with Donny."

"Fras, what's with the twenty questions?" Martin asked. "If Niles says that Daphne needed a ride home, then she needed a ride home! Stop analyzing everything!"  
"Dad, I wasn't analyzing, I was-."

"It's all right, Dr. Crane." Daphne said, holding Niles' hand a little tighter. "Your brother brought me home because I called him. You see, Donny and I got into a fight and I'm afraid it was a bad one."

Martin's fatherly instinct set in and he crossed the room, laying a hand on Daphne's shoulder. "Did he hurt you? Because I swear I'll-."

Daphne closed her eyes, the tears spilling onto her cheeks. "No… he didn't hurt me. But he made it quite clear that he never wants to see me again."

Frasier sighed deeply. "Oh Daphne, I'm so sorry. Are you all right?"

She smiled and took Frasier's hand. "I am now, thanks to your brother. I don't know what I would have done if-." When she began to cry, Frasier hugged her and smiled.

"I know it hurts. It'll take some time to get through this but we're here for you if you need us. And by that,I mean myself, Dad and Niles."

Daphne squeezed Frasier a little tighter. "Thank you, Dr. Crane."

"Well… I'm glad that Niles was there for you." Frasier said. "And I expect that in a few days, or even sooner, he's going to have a big announcement to make."

Daphne let go of her boss, her face brightening with interest. "Really Dr. Crane? What sort of announcement?"

But Niles couldn't return her beautiful smile. "Well, actually Daphne…"

"Now Niles, don't be shy! I'm sure that Mel will be thrilled when you pop the question!"

Niles gritted his teeth. "Frasier!" He dared to look at Daphne, who wore a look of surprise. But her expression was tinged with an emotion that he just couldn't quite read.

"Oh…" Daphne finally said after a long silence. "I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. I had forgotten all about Mel."

"I wish I could." Martin grumbled, obviously thinking that no one could hear him.

"Actually Frasier, I-."

Daphne hugged Niles warmly and kissed his cheek. "That's wonderful, Dr. Crane. I'm so happy for you. Mel is a very… lucky…" Her voice broke and she pulled out of his arms. "I'm sorry… I…"

"Daphne-."

"I-I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. Excuse me."

Without another word, she turned, sobbing and headed for the balcony.


	9. Chapter 9

The air was cold as it whooshed into the living room, bringing a chill to Niles' shoulders. Daphne seemed oblivious to the weather, but Niles shivered just the same.

"Great, Fras… Now you've upset her even more!" Martin scolded. "Damn it, she just said that Donny broke her heart and now she has to hear about Niles and Mel? I can't believe Donny would do that to her! I've never seen her happier and now look at her!"

Niles' gaze turned toward the window, where his angel was alone and cold and he had a sudden intense urge to give her warmth and love. He did love her, deeply in fact. Even when she'd fallen for Donny and had no idea of Niles' feelings for her… he'd never stopped loving her. And he never would.

"You're right, Dad. I shouldn't have brought up Niles' engagement." Frasier said.

"You're damn right, you shouldn't have!" Martin retorted. "We don't even know that there will be an engagement!"

"Actually Dad, Frasier… there won't be." Niles admitted.

"What? But you said earlier-."

"Yes, I know what I said, Frasier and at the time it was true. I really thought I finally came to terms with my feelings for Mel. I can't believe I was about to ask her to marry me. I mean, I do care about her deeply, or I did… but…"

"You're in love with Daphne." Martin finished.

Niles bowed his head, ready for a lecture from his father and brother. "Yes."

"Then go to her, son."

Niles eyes rose to meet his father's. "What?"

"She needs you, Niles. I could see that a long time ago. I just wish I would have said something but it wasn't my place."

"But what if she rejects me? What if…"

Frasier smiled and touched Niles' shoulder. "Go to her, Niles. Tell her how you feel. From the way she was holding your hand, I'm pretty sure she feels the same way."

Niles smiled, unable to believe what he was hearing. "Thanks Dad… Frasier." And with a renewed heart, he headed for the balcony.

When he got there, he found Daphne staring at the Space Needle, which was illuminated by a rare winter full moon. She looked so beautiful that his breath was taken away. But it was her tear streaked face that broke his heart.

"Daphne…"

She turned and quickly brushed away her tears. "Dr. Crane, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to get so upset. I'm happy for you, I am. And I meant what I said. Mel is a very lucky woman."

He moved toward her and draped his jacket around her shoulders. And then he took her hand, bringing it to his lips. "Daphne, Mel isn't the woman I love. You are. You've always been the woman I love. I was a coward. I missed so many chances to tell you how I felt, and then I almost lost you to Donny. And that's when I found Mel. Frasier and Dad were right. She is like Maris, in more ways than one. When you called, I… Well this might sound ridiculous but when Frasier and I were at Café Nervosa, I found myself daydreaming about you. You were… cold and shivering on the streets and you called me, begging for my help."

"And you came."

"Yes."

"Thank you, Dr. Crane."

"But Daphne, I'm so sorry that Donny treated you the way he did. You don't deserve that. No one does."

And then she smiled. "You want to hear something silly?"

"Nothing you say could possibly be-."

Her lips touched his in a feather-light kiss, silencing him instantly.

"I think I was more upset hearing about you and Mel than I was about losing Donny."

The revelation startled him and he gasped in surprise. "You were? But-."

Her lips touched his once more, but this time the kiss deepened into something of a dream. But it wasn't a dream, this was real. Daphne Moon, the woman he'd loved for so long, was kissing him. And when the kiss ended, he could only stare into her eyes, amazed at how beautiful she was.

"I love you, Niles." She whispered, before kissing him again.

When the passionate kisses ended, they held each other close. But she drew back and looked at him in concern. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

He looked at her with tears in his eyes. "Nothing's wrong, Daphne. For a moment I thought that my dream had finally come true. But this is so much better."

THE END


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